3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
I have not been able to find that particular dahlia anywhere for you. I have looked and looked. I did see a birthday card with it on it, but no live plant. It is really pretty. Good luck in your search. If you find it, let us know where, thanks.
Landrover, cut off the spent/rained off flower heads back to the nearest branch or stem. They should continue to produce buds/blooms for you "all summer" like the ads say. You don't want to let a plant go to seed though, or it will think it's done it's reproducing job and be done.
If you keep cutting flowers (or shearing off the old blooms) it will have to bud some more to try to keep itself or it's offspring on Earth.
Here you go.
I've never grown from seed. I lost the seeds I received last winter : ( Maybe they'll turn up yet...
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia care- including from seed
You can sow them directly in the garden esp. if they are the little ones. The bigger ones should be started earlier indoors & planted out when the weather warms up.
You don't have to treat them with anything.
Tubers will form & can be divided for more next year.
Not I, sorry. Have you tried Garden Watchdog?
Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Watchdog
Hi: I just received my dahlia order from Art's two days ago. Very nice tubers all with visible sprouts. Nicely packaged in small ziploc bags and a small amount of vermiculite. Great labelling with good picture of tuber enclosed. My order arrived right on schedule, order filled correctly. I would highly recommend. I am pleased. SusanM
I had a few that did that as well. What I thought was up, was down. Well, Mother Nature won. As soon as I realized what was happening, I took the tuber, and placed it sprout side up, and then potted. Honestly, sometimes it is VERY difficult to tell which side is up, if the eyes have not swollen yet.
If I were you, I'd repot.
I have a couple aiming Back toward the root end of the tuber. I trust they will seek the light and warmth and aim up eventually. If a shoot was really pointing downward, I'd turn the tuber to let the shoot aim up. Roots should still form normally. I hope.
Ladies, please help! Mine did ok in the sun here in my area, however, I'm not really sure when to plant them in the ground here in Danville Va. Last year I started them up in pots,....this year I have too many to start that way. Need advice. Thanks! Margaret
Where are they now? If they're in storage you could bring them out to be exposed to light, but still need to protect from freezing. Then you can see which are going to have eyes for sure and go on to plant them.
Below is copied from MSN house and home. Warmer soil and no frost is the guide for outdoor planting. I am in zone 7 and aim for the end of April.
Poochella
**Outdoor planting can begin as soon as all threat of frost is past. Dahlias perform best in a sunny location with rich, well-drained soil. To improve a heavy clay soil, work in plenty of organic matter, such as peat and compost. Mature height dictates planting depth and spacing.
Set tubers of tall types (more than 2-1/2 feet) 3 to 4 inches deep and 20 inches apart. Shorter varieties should be planted 2 to 3 inches deep and 10 inches apart. If you buy nursery-grown plants at local greenhouses, plant them at the level they grew in their pots.**
David, mine are currently planted in a mix of 2/3 soilless coconut fibre, and 1/3 potting soil. When I transplant to the garden, the amount of soil in the mixture will increase, but I do want the medium to maintain moisture, and also feed the plant. I will also be adding miracle grow or some other fertilizer via watering.
I didn't have to shout "Hurry up!" at mine. They are about a foot tall and growing an inch a day. I hope they don't outgrow the laundry room; I have to wait until mid-May for the threat of frost go away, and heaven knows when the soil temp gets up to 70 degrees in NJ.
And the package said 6 tubers, but I have 11 plants. Should I divvy them up now, or can I wait and do it when I plant them outside?
I'm feeling like a Dahlia grower, tho this is my first try. Let's all bow down to the lady Chroe.
Christine
Christine, I would divide them now, and then let them get established on their own. The division at the time of planting in the ground may set them back somewhat. If you line the pot with newspaper, there is minimal disturbance at the time of planting into the ground.
I note that you are in zone 6, NJ. I, also, have to wait, but for me it is early June. Many of mine are in the garage already, and I take them out on warm, sunny days, when I can. I am not into showing, so I will pinch the centre or lead stem, and force it to branch out. That will make it take a bit longer before it gets too big, and I will get more flowers from it as well.
I will not keep my dahlias in the sunny room at room temperature, as I feat that they will grow too fast, and become less strong in the stem.
My humble opinion, as always.
Ladders, flowergirl, ladders. I had some well over 6 ft, crossed the horizon of the garage gutters. It's a good stretch to get a stem to cut, but still the flowers are beautiful. Even with pinching or topping, some dahlias will not be contained...
Hi Tori,
Your pots look big enough to me, if they're about a foot tall and foot or so wide? I have never grown a full size dahlia in a pot before and would worry about it falling over, how to support it in a pot etc. Or are they short dahlias?
Topping is interesting. All the leaf counting drives me nuts though. I just wait til the plant is about 15-18 inches tall and carefully pinch out the center growth tip up top. Most of the time I carefully peel back the two little tiny leaves forming over that growth tip and then pinch out the very center mass (because I don't know if it's important to leave those little side leaves or not.) I've never had a plant fail yet that was treated this way. No open hollow stem to let rain water in, no failure of laterals to develop. No lack of flowers.
Maybe someone else who's grown in big pots will chime in on dahlia support in a container.
Good luck, it's nice to see your photos and I really adore that white door and doorhandle!
Here is a link that might be useful: Topping Dahlias Tutorial with photos
Courtesy of a great dahlia researcher in the UK- Dave Bates.
Ed Flaws of Newbury, OH is your originator.
Why he named it Alice Chalifoux I don't know.
To further check on dahlia originators go here:
www.dahliaworld.co.uk
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia Raiser Directory and more
No, no! It's "off with it's tail!" I just inquired again today (at another tuber sale LOL) that extra long or fat potato-like tubers can be slow or sap energy otherwise directed to shooting that plant skyward. Twice now I've been told it's A-OK to cut off up to half of the tuber, let it callous over, treat with antifungal if you wish and plant it.
As long as it has an eye, and some tuber to support that eye growth, it should survive and thrive. Last year I lost more than a few to rot but saved two half rotted ones by chopping the rotted end of the tuber off and replanting. They went on to grow and flower with only 1-2 inches of tuber stump supporting them. And made more tubers.
I was just stunned to see 'Mazama' tubers at the sale in the more usual one-half to one inch thick x 3-4 inch long size. The ones I harvested are all like sweet potatoes! Nubby fat, tubby, huge sweet potatoes. What does anyone think made mine so chunky? Too much chips and dip?
That's correct poochella, off with its tail.